A leader, a record breaker and a bearded killer

Emmaus' Sell is into volleyball "just for fun'

June 06, 2008|By John Heilig Special to The Morning Call - Freelance

Jesse Sell, Emmaus' jolly bearded killer, is The Morning Call's Player of the Year in boys volleyball for 2008.

Sell registered his 1,000th career kill this season in a game against Easton. He also is one of the team's best defenders. And in the game with Parkland that decided the Lehigh Valley Conference's championship, he had several defensive digs in the backfield, then was on his feet ready to make the kill for the point on offense.

His coach, Deb Schlosser, is as impressed with his defensive efforts as with his offense.

"Jesse's all-around play is outstanding," she said. "Since I have been at Emmaus, we've developed a bit of a reputation for developing middles that are the best defensive players. Jesse is one in a line of them."

Jesse began playing in the fifth grade in an intramural league. Schlosser remembered that he was mature for his age even then.

"He is, to date, the only player near that age that I've had who took responsibility for his own schedule instead of handing it over to his parents," she said. "He got himself to all those games by bike and was always on top of when we were playing next."

Schlosser also said she recognized his leadership qualities even then.

"All the others were drawn to him," she added. "He was likable and provided direction that united them as a team."

When Schlosser asked Sell in sixth grade about his intentions for the sport, she was taken aback. Jesse said he was in it just for fun. Schlosser said she had seen his potential and wanted to know his level of commitment so that she didn't push him into something he didn't want. Her heart sank when he said volleyball was just for fun.

"It took a bit of interpreting for me to find out that Jesse considers the act of trying, the act of competing, to be the ultimate in fun," she said. "What I took to be a remark indicating he had a casual commitment to the sport was really a statement of the philosophy that Jesse has lived with since then."

He is always smiling at every game, although with a team that went undefeated during the regular season and had a serious chance to make a deep run in the state tournament, why not smile?

He also is a cheerleader. Whenever he or a teammate scores a point, it's usually Sell who's shouting and cheering louder than anyone else. At the end of the second Parkland match, which Emmaus dominated, fans were cheering loudly when Sell went onto center court and, in a Rocky-like pose, brought the cheers to a crescendo. Was it an ego trip?

"There is no ego," Schlosser said. "There is a powerful confidence that he is somewhat unaware of. He wants to win and believes that he will get the most from his teammates if he gives his very best. He forces others to step up their game by how disciplined he is with himself. He is the only player I have coached who I have never had to motivate at any time -- he finds that within himself and shares the extra with others."

In midseason, Schlosser sent e-mails to all of her players, suggesting ways they could improve. She told them to review her suggestions every day and work to implement them. How did her best player take this?

"Everybody has room for improvement," Sell said. "Specifically for me, she said I should square up to the net more when I'm hitting, and she added a few things on defense."

"My son Jeremy played in club ball with Jesse, and so even in the years I didn't coach him, I got to watch him," Schlosser said. "He is the most consistently upbeat and energetic kid I have ever come across.

" Days with illness, injury, homework crush, worries at home or with peers -- none of it has ever made a dent in what he gives to the team. He puts himself out there completely at all times."

Sell will head to the University of Pittsburgh to major in anthropology.

"Culture fascinates me," he said. "I'm interested in learning more about how people interact. In anthropology, you can look at cultures and society."

Sell and teammate Reid Sorenson will both be at Pitt, but Pitt doesn't have a varsity volleyball team.

"I might play club ball at Pitt," Sell said, "to keep in shape and to blow off steam."